Tempest Brewing Tropical Storms Part 1 (3 page)

Joy was genuinely taken back by this gentle
man's unassuming personality, and his great smile. "Sure, ask
anything you want."

The customer raised his head and making eye
contact asked "I am sure your job isn't to answer stupid questions
from a country hick, but what exactly is a conch?"

Joy actually giggled spontaneously. "First time
to Key West I take it?"

"Yes 'um. My first vacation as an adult male.
Graduated from Dental school and went to work with my Dad back in
my home town, he's a dentist too, and two weeks ago he says to me
he wants to retire. He just up and says one day outta the blue
Vincent, you better take a vacation now cause you sure won't be
able to for a while after I quit." Vincent paused for a second.
"Lordy, that sure was a mouthful."

Joy just stared and smiled at this gentle,
honest man. She didn't really know what to say.

Vincent stuck out his hand and said "My name is
Vincent, nice to meet you Miss Joy."

As Joy took his hand, she notices how his huge
hand completely engulfed her own petite hand, but softly, and
gently. She felt her hand melting into the strong, secure safe hand
of Vincent, the dentist from Georgia. All she could really manage
was "Nice to meet you too," but her smile and touch conveyed some
of what she was experiencing and thinking at this spontaneous
meeting.

Vincent said, "I'm actually Vincent
Junior.
My daddy is also a Vincent and also a dentist, they
just call me Vince." He looked embarrassed and let go of her hand,
looking down said "I guess I already told you all that." As he
looked back up at her he asked "So what exactly is a
conch?"

A little flustered and happy to be back in
familiar territory, Joy replied, "Have you ever seen those
beautiful big tropical shells, they're like
this
big?" Joy
held out her hands about a foot apart.

"Well sure," Vincent drawled in his best Jim
Nabors voice.

"Well," continued Joy, "Those are conch shells
and those little snail-like creatures that live inside of them are
called conchs. It's considered a delicacy around here but I think
it's like eating a rubber bands. Hey, let me get you something to
drink and let me check on my tables. We can continue this
fascinating conversation in a minute, okay?"

While studying the menu Vincent said, "Your
parents sure knew what they were doin' when they named you Joy. Can
I have a Key West Ale please?" He looked up, again flashing that
perfect smile.

"Be right back," was all Joy could mutter. She
walked away, unaware that she hadn't even thought about Brian for
the past 20 minutes. After delivering his bottle of beer and
checking on her other tables Joy returned to take Vincent's food
order. She had composed herself since their first encounter. "Know
what you want?"

The southern gentleman looked up and flashed his
boyish smile and said, "I surely do Ma'am, but it's not on the
menu."

Suddenly all composure fled. Joy broke eye
contact and started stammering, "Well that's all we got, what you
see is what you get." She suddenly realized what that sounded like
and tried to recover. "I mean the menu, I mean what you want to
eat. I mean ---," she just trailed off and just stared at the
man.

He smiles, from ear to ear. "Gimme one of those
burgers with some cheese, please. Ooh, ohh and some tommata and
pickle on there if you can. And Bacon. Mayo and lots of ketchup for
the fries, okay? Please?"

The man was sure passionate about his food for
sure, Joy thought, but other than teeth, what else did he have?
"How you want it cooked?"

"I like my meat like my women" replied Vincent.
"Rare."

Joy just looked at him, smiled and point blankly
asked "You got a rare one at home doc?"

"Marlborough aint't got much that's rare," was
all he said.

"Hey, you wanna do something?" Brian and Stormy
had just finished an hour-long episode of grunting and pounding
each other's body in pure base primitive rooting. Neither one had
even considered the other's existence other than as the source of
the physical stimulation each narcissist was using to meet their
own individual needs.

Stormy made a move towards Brian's crotch. "No,
not that." Brian whined, "I mean go out and do something."

"Why?" was Stormy's only question.

"So how's the burger? Ready for another beer?"
Joy was checking on Vincent the dentist. He had just taken a big
bite of the rare cheeseburger and bloody grease was dripping down
from the corner of his mouth.

"Umm yes 'em" was all he could mumble with a
mouth-full of food.

As she went to the bar to get him another bottle
of beer she reflected on the man's unabashed openness. It was
refreshing in this place so full of players, vacationers and
transients. When she returned with the brew, Vincent had finished
his burger and was eating French fries. He had made a little pile
of ketchup and mayonnaise and was picking up each individual fry
and twirling it in the mixture, eating one at a time.

"These here French fries are just a vehicle to
consume the pink sauce," he offered between bites.

"Pink sauce?"
Joy asked.

Sure, that's what we call it to home. Mayo and
ketchup mixed together, you know, it kinda turns pink depending on
how much ketchup you use. We put it on everything at home."

"Everything?" she asked.

"Jes 'bout, he answered. "Scrambled eggs, cheese
sandwiches, pizza, veggies. We put in macaroni salad, deviled eggs
and well jes 'bout anything, oh and" as he held up a fry, "fries.
It's real good on fries, you never ate it?"

"Well, I've had Thousand Islands on a salad,
does that count?" Joy smiled at this country man.

"Well, I reckon it is Thousand Islands without
the pickle stuff added, here, you wanna try?" as he held out a fry
dripping in pink sauce.

Without thinking she took the pink sauced fry
and popped it into her mouth. She had never accepted food from a
customer's plate before and was surprised she had just done it. It
was good though and she smiled saying "Damn, that is good! But
pizza?"

Vincent flashed one of those great smiles, he
had some food on one of his teeth but it didn't detract at all from
his attractiveness. "For the crust Mam, we dip the crust in the
pink sauce. It's mighty good."

"Hey Vince, can I ask a favor? Would you stop
calling me "Ma'am"? Makes me feel old," Joy asked.

Sure thing Miss Joy, it's just my upbringing.
But no more 'Ma'am' for you. Now can I ask you a favor?" He waited
patiently for her reply.

"You can ask," Joy replied.

"Can you come out with me after work and show me
your town here? I don't have a clue of where to go or what to
do."

The wave of emotions was obvious as they played
across her expression. She would certainly enjoy spending time with
this kind, polite man, but she had just met him and there was Brian
at home. Well, maybe at home, he still hadn't answered her
calls.

"I sure am sorry Miss Joy, that was a big
assumption on my part. Can I ask, are you married?" Vincent asked
so politely and with such respect Joy was a bit taken back.
Normally she would have considered such a question a come on and
would have retorted something like "Yup, and five kids under the
age of four."

"No," Joy said hesitantly, "Not married." She
could see the big grin forming on Vincent's face. "But I live with
someone."

"You mean like a room-mate?" The dentist had
asked the question with a perfectly straight face, but he was
joking. "I understand. Well, I sure do hope he cherishes you the
way you deserve." That he had said honestly. To that Joy had no
answer. "Can you point me in the right direction anyways? I still
don't know where I am or what to do. It is my first day here. Looks
like you had a hell of a storm recently. I was watchin' on the
weather channel. Was afraid I wasn't gonna make it here."

Joy relaxed a bit and felt back in familiar
territory once more. This man had unsettled her twice in one hour
and she didn't like that. She had given the "What to do one your
first day in Key West" speech a million times. "Just a bad
thunderstorm, no real damage," which wasn't really true. There were
debris strewn everywhere that had been blown about. The tides had
risen well above normal and the beaches were still a mess. A few
roofs had lost shingles or tiles but no one had been hurt and no
major damage had occurred.

"At sunset go to Mallory Square. Everyone goes
there for a view of the spectacular sunset. There are local
artisans selling their crafts, you know, bracelets and earrings,
drawings, painted coconuts and things like that. Local street
performers and musicians work for tips and appreciation.
Occasionally someone famous, like Jimmy Buffett will just hand out
and play incognito. It's cool. It's a Key West institution and
everyone goes. Just watch your wallet is all. It is a pick pocket
paradise."

"Where? Vincent asked? "Mallory Square
where?"

"I'll get you a map before you go" Joy advised.
"After, just walk down Duval Street. I don't know what you like,
but it's all on Duval. It's the famous street here in Key West.
People do the "Duval Crawl." They start at one end of Duval and
stop and have one drink at every bar along the way and see how far
they can get before throwing up, passing out or getting arrested. I
don't recommend that for your first day though, maybe wait until
your second or third day here." She paused to see if he was smiling
and saw that he was.

"Really, Duval and a block or two in either
direction has everything. Famous bars like Sloppy Joe's, Willy T's,
Margaritaville and the Hog's Breath Saloon, there's a Planet
Hollywood, art museums, stores that sell everything from fine
antiques to junk and more junk, souvenir shops that sell more junk,
restaurants, coffee shops and a whole gay section with drag
shows."

"Drag shows, Ma'am?" Vincent asked somewhat
indignantly.

"You know, female impersonators," Joy
explained.

"Yes 'em, I know what a drag show is, it's
just---. He paused, "Do I look like someone who wants to go to a
drag show? Don't get me wrong, Live and let live I always say, I
just choose to live without that. Unless of course," he added
slyly, "You want to go with me, then it'd be all right I
reckon."

Joy could only say "Let me get you that map and
your bill, I hope you have fun, Doc."

Vincent left her a twenty dollar tip on an
eighteen dollar bill. On the receipt he had written "You are a
Joy!" A few minutes later Eric came to her and said "Good job!"

"What?" Joy asked.

"That guy asked for the manager. He complimented
the food, said best burger he ever ate, and went on and on about
you. Said the service was perfect and you were very friendly and
helpful. Way to go."

Joy still had two and half hours left on her
shift. Lunch had come and gone and she was trying to keep busy,
cleaning and filling things. At the same time she obsessed about
Brian and why he wasn't picking up or answering her messages.
Something just didn't sit right with her. It wasn't a specific
thing, just a subtle inside feeling something was up, something was
wrong.

Joy went to Shane, the other day server working
and asked "can you cover for a few minutes? I gotta go to the
little girls room and you know, take care of something."

Shane looked aghast and replied "TMI girlfriend!
You go take as long as you need."

Instead of going to the ladies room, Joy snuck
out back and into her car. She and Brian didn't live far, and she
just wanted to make sure he was all right. But he wasn't there when
she arrived home and so, she returned to work a while later,
feeling even more anxious and unsettled.

When she got back, Shane told her that Eric was
looking for her. Damn, she thought, I wasn't gone that long.

As she approached Eric he starting singing "Opie
and Joy, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

"What?" Joy demanded.

"You got an admirer" Eric announced. Opie, or
whatever his name is, the hick guy that gave you the compliment
came back and wanted to know if you were working tomorrow. I told
him we didn't give out that information."

Joy was disappointed but didn't let it show.

Eric continued "But I shook my head up and down
as I said it." And winked at Joy.

"Okay then, thanks" Joy meekly replied, "He's a
dentist from Georgia, first day."

"Oh, did you tell him about Bourbon Street?"
Bourbon Street Pub was a gay bar that had pretty men in G-strings
giving lap dances to men on vacation with money. A few locals also
regularly frequented the notorious spot.

"I did and he
wasn't
interested. Sorry."
Joy admitted.

"He's all yours then girl, have a go at it!" her
friend shouted, as he walked away.

After her shift ended she went to the bar to sit
and have her shift drink. Frank was sitting at the bar with his
mother Lee who had just gotten off her shift as well. They were
both smoking a cigarette and sipping cocktails.

"Did you find what you went after?" Lee asked,
because she had seen Joy take off earlier. She didn't ask with
malice, just motherly interest. If Key West was a small community
with few secretes kept, the Schooner Wharf was like three families
sharing a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. Any secretes weren't
kept for very long.

Lee was truly a unique personality in the Keys.
Petite and tiny, in contrast to her tall and broad son, she had
Lucille Ball dyed red hair and an easy smile. She loved her 40 year
old son, loved her job, loved living in Key West and loved sitting
after work with a smoke and a drink.

"It was nothing." replied Joy as she sat next to
the mother-son pair.

"Thank means you didn't find anything, not that
it was nothing." Lee had a way of cutting to the point. In her mid
sixties and living in the Keys had rendered her an authority on
relationships and life situations. She had, after all, pretty much
seen or heard it all.